LAMPSHADES16_194.JPG Photo taken on 6/5/04 in BERKELEY.
Lampshade designer Sue Johnson and a variety of lamp-to shade porportional examples that incorporate some of her designs. This one is a hand-formed ceramic table lamp with mica square with red leaf shade.
Photo: Mark Costantini/SF Chronicle

Photo: MARK COSTANTINI

LAMPSHADES16_194.JPG Photo taken on 6/5/04 in BERKELEY.
Lampshade...

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Two lamps show what different shades can do for them. Chronicle photos by Mark Costantini

With home decorating at an all-time high, it's not surprising that even the simplest accessories are taking on a new look. Witness the lampshade. Once limited to bell shapes in pale creams and neutrals, lampshades now come in squares, rectangles and even hexagons in checks, stripes and frilly zebra- skin prints.

Selecting a shade is a very personal decision, says Berkeley lampshade designer Sue Johnson. "What I like may not be what someone else likes. I tell customers to bring in the lamp and the old shade to the store." If they can't bring the base, they bring in its measurements and a swatch that matches the color.

Shopping for a shade is easy if you follow a few simple rules.

One of the first considerations is the lamp's role in the room. Task lighting, for instance, calls for a broader shade to provide illumination to the work area. Reading lamps are a form of task lighting and require a larger shade because you want bright, directed light to come from the lamp. A reading shade is also bigger because you want a higher-wattage bulb to read so more light comes from under the shade.

Table lamps

Where the lamp is located helps to determine the size of the shade. A lamp on a low table can take a smaller shade than a lamp on a high shelf because you can't see underneath a shade below eye level.

"The rule for table lamps is that the bottom edge of the shade is low enough so you don't see the hardware (socket or harp)," Johnson says. Where it falls below that is a matter of preference.

Also look for a shade to fit the size and shape of the lamp base. A slender base, such as a candlestick lamp, often looks better with a small, boxy shade. A wider base, like an urn lamp, takes a larger shade. If you have a lamp with a square base, try a square shade. A round or cylindrical base usually calls for a round or oval shade.

Floor lamps

Floor lamps work best with an empire shade as opposed to, say, a coolie shade (named because it resembles the hats worn by Chinese peasants), which has a wide slant, says Cheri Jamison of the Lamp Shop in San Francisco. The empire shade (similar to a drum but more flared) has a contemporary look. It's subtle, and very versatile. It's also good for a lamp on a sofa console because it's wider at the top, which makes the shade appear larger without taking up precious space. A rectangular or oval shade also lends itself to a small space because it has a narrow side, which can be pushed close to the wall.

Another consideration in choosing a shade is the aesthetic role of the lamp. Decorative lamps need to be attractive and appropriate to the setting. If you want something stylish, go for a shade with lots of color or elegant trim. If you don't want the lamp to attract attention, choose a simpler style without decoration.

Knowing the wattage of the bulb and the heat that will be generated from the bulb is also important, says Jamison. The higher the wattage, the wider the opening at the top of the shade should be to allow for heat to escape. "You need a lot of air if you're using a high-wattage bulb," she adds. "The heat rises, so it must get out of the lamp." To determine if the shade is large enough, turn off the lamp for several minutes and then feel the shade. If it's hot, the opening at the top of the shade isn't large enough.

Getting what you want

Buying a pre-made shade is one option. Having a shade custom made is a way to get a distinctly personal look. "Whatever you can imagine, I can do," says Dee Skaar, a lampshade designer and partner in the Lamp Gallery in Menlo Park. Her shades can be found in Mandalay Bay and Bellagio in Las Vegas.

One customer combined a floral print and a hot fuchsia organza. "It was very busy but perfect for the bedroom or bath," Skaar says.

Most requests are to duplicate a shade the homeowner bought 20 years ago or to match new fabric in the room.

"If it's a custom shade, many customers bring their own material," Skaar says. "They've usually spent money decorating a room and they want a lampshade that fits the decor." That may mean pleats or ruffles. "I tell them to bring in a picture of what they like," she says.

When it comes to choosing material, fabrics with weight are best, Skaar says. "I've used everything from straw to rice paper to parchment, but my preference is for anything with body: cottons, silks, linens. My first major project was 7-foot-tall oval lampshades for Bellagio made of silk with 2-inch- wide black velvet border."

Before buying any fabric, hold it up to the light. One customer bought mauve silk for a silver picture-holder lamp, but when the shade was finished and the homeowner switched on the light, the shade turned bordello red.

It's also important to see how the shade looks in daylight and at night, Johnson says. The color and quality of the light in your room can be affected by the shade. Parchment, for example, is usually cream or ivory, which allows for a generous amount of light to diffuse through the shade and into the room. Enamel doesn't allow any light to penetrate, but diffuses it upward through the top and downward through the bottom of the shade. Linen permits greater light diffusion than most shades, and paper and white silk are the most transparent. "Mica is beautiful and durable," Johnson adds, but casts an amber glow.

As for maintenance, dust the shade regularly with a nylon paintbrush, sweeping from bottom to top. "You sweep against the dust," Skaar says. If you need to clean spots, use a mild soap and dry with a cool hairdryer. No direct sunlight; it's too hot.

Finally, be receptive to something new, Jamison says. "We encourage people to try different styles. Changing the shape or texture of the shade will update the fixture so it doesn't look like your mother's frumpy old lamp."

More tips

-- When you find a style you like, don't be afraid to ask if you can take the shade home for approval. Most stores allow customers to try a fixture before committing to buying it, Johnson says.

-- Know your bulbs. Clear bulbs make a translucent shade sparkle. For leather or mica, consider a frosted or soft-white bulb. Tinted bulbs can be used to warm up a room, cool it down or dress it up for a special event. If the lamp emits too much glare, try swapping the standard bulb for a reflector bulb.

-- To make a space more intimate, use several table lamps with alabaster, parchment or ivory shades, which cast a warm glow.

Resources

Sue Johnson, 1745 Solano Ave., Berkeley; (510) 527-2623.

Lamp Gallery, 628 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park; (650) 325-6585.

The Lamp Shop, 151 Vermont St., San Francisco; (415) 621-6271.

-- K.C.

Basic shapes

Coolie -- Resembles a Chinese peasant hat; available in round or square

Drum or barrel -- The top is 1-2 inches narrower than the bottom; bell and cylinder shades are a variation of this shade